Citizens' Assembly North

The outcome of the Scottish independence referendum raised big questions about how England is governed.

With Manchester soon to take on new local powers, many of the people of Sheffield are watching nearby changes closely. However, the people of South Yorkshire also have their own ideas about how they are best governed.

Some Sheffield residents believe that shifting more power to the local level will deliver public services more effectively and use public funds more efficiently. Others are concerned about adding extra layers of administration. In 2012, two out of three voters in Sheffield rejected the option of a directly elected mayor, while in 2015, the City Region Combined Authority committed itself to public consultation on any new governance model.

Any new powers or institutions for the Sheffield city region would need to be supported by the people who live here.

“With the government currently putting through its key devolution bill, these citizen’s assemblies will be a vital chance for local people to have their say. At the same time, these pilots will play a key role in fostering the knowledge and expertise needed to conduct a UK-wide constitutional convention"

Professor Matthew Flinders

Academics from the University of Sheffield are part of a team of leading international researchers who are interested to discover what power to the people might mean for England. Through two pilot assemblies, they want to give people more say about the decisions that affect them and give them a meaningful role in changing how politicians make decisions.

These two pilot assemblies were held in Sheffield on 17-18 October and 7-8 November, and while places for participants were limited, all members of the public are invited to contribute to the process through the ‘Make a submission’ link on this page.